With Joseph around, Ashton would not need to make as many trips between the company and home every day. My smile widened at the thought of Ashton being able to squeeze in more low time. “You should go home to check in on your family after being away in Moranta for so long.”
His wife had just given birth not so long ago when he was deployed to Moranta. As Ashton did not know how to care for his subordinate, it was my duty as his spouse to say something nice in his stead.
“Yes.” The mention of his family put a smile on Joseph’s face. “Mr. Fuller has given me half the day off. I’ve already dropped by earlier.”
Ashton?
I turned to regard my husband with slight skepticism. Could this notorious workaholic possibly be so considerate?
Ashton beamed proudly as though it was the natural thing to do. He then leaned back on his chair and got right back to business. “From now on, Joseph would stick with me while Stella would become your personal assistant. Take her with you whenever you head out.”
I was bewildered at this peculiar decision to place his little fan-girl at my side. Was he trying to help, or to create problems for me?
I did not have the opportunity to state my protestations before Stella and Joseph simultaneously voiced their acknowledgement and made their exit.
“What’s happening here?” I narrowed my eyes at Ashton the second the door closed. “Trying to get me to relinquish my shares and getting Stella to keep tabs on me. What are you really up to?”
Ashton shrugged slyly. “Whoever said I was getting Stella to do that?”
“Hehe…” I scoffed. “Surely she’s not here for my protection?”
Even though a modern female professional, I knew Stella to be an extremely frail woman. Her memory could not had been jarred into amnesia otherwise.
Ashton snorted. There was a sinister smirk on his face when he pushed the document in front of me once more. “I took the initiative to convince her to become your personal assistant when I caught you staring at her more than once. You know, I am aware that you women like looking at pretty girls too. So never mind your lack of good taste, I’m happy to oblige.”
His attempts at being thoughtful had me nonplussed.
What was he blabbering about? Why that sleazy look in his eyes? Jerk!
Does he think that I had taken a fancy to Stella? I was lamenting his overtly progressive thinking when he rapped his finger upon the table and pointed to the letter of authorization. “One good turn deserves another. Come on and sign on it.”
With victory seemingly at hand, the smug face he had suddenly left me feeling cheated. “Are we talking business here, Mr. Fuller?”
My signature in exchange for Stella Collins was not business. It was coercion!
The corner of the man’s lips raised as he regarded me like I was a lamb to the slaughter. “We are man and wife so surely there’s no need to put it that way. Consider this our way of shouldering each other’s burdens.”
He was totally into it before he paused and exhaled, as though he was in a bind. “As you know, I’m quite bogged down with everything that’s going on at the company. I don’t think I’d be able to handle it if you were to pile more on my plate. Take it that you’re doing me a favor. Just sign off on it, would you, Mrs. Fuller?”
The man had already circled to my rear and had me wrapped inside of his embrace. He spoke with pen in hand, just awaiting my signature.
I looked askance at the enthusiasm with which he regaled me. It seemed that he earnestly would like me to withdraw from the den of thieves that was the corporate world.
